Monday, January 7, 2013

Apple Inc. (AAPL) has marked yet another milestone in its books, as ABC News reports that there have now been 40 billion downloads recorded in its App Store.

According to the report, last year has been a record breaking year in the number of apps downloaded. During 2012, more than 20 billion downloads were recorded. As of March of last year, Apple had only recorded 25 billion. These apps have been downloaded through the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch devices, and their popularity is undeniable.

Apple lays claim to having more than 500 million active accounts, and the holiday season helped the Cupertino company set new records. December alone saw more than 2 billion downloads. Apple has not announced how many devices were sold in the month leading up to Christmas, but it's conceivable that many people purchased iPads, iPhones, and iPods as gifts. This is the most likely cause of the spike in downloads. According to reports, Apple's app developers raked in more than $7 million thanks to the increased downloads.

Eddy Cue, Apple's Senior VP of Internet Software and Services said, "It has been an incredible year for the iOS developer community. We continue to invest in providing them with the best ecosystem, so they can create the most innovative apps in the world."

Apple is not the only ecosystem that made bank this holiday season, as Google's Android platform also witnessed a spike in downloads. On Christmas day alone, the two platforms recorded a combined 328 million downloads.

The mobile device craze seems to be more than just a passing fad, and Apple is well poised to continue to take advantage of the desire for mobility and Internet and phone access. This year holds much promise for the tech company.